Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
by FireStarter911
Summary: Sequel to Goodbye, set two years after. Mandy is in love with the Grim Reaper, but will she ever see him again? And is it even possible to fix Erwin's hair?
1. Reflections

Title: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again  
  
Summary: Sequel to Goodbye, set two years after. Mandy is in love with the Grim Reaper, but will she ever see him again?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mandy shot a very angry look at Billy, who had been pestering her for the past half hour to help him program a new video game. Normally, she wouldn't hesitate to help the poor nerd, and he knew something was wrong.  
  
Billy hadn't inquired too far the day, two years ago, she had set Grim free, but he had been slowly trying to get her to tell him more. She hadn't said a word to him beyond that Grim was gone, and wasn't coming back. He didn't know much about his friend's complex emotions, but he did know enough to tell that something had happened that night he might never understand. He was sad at first, knowing that Mandy wouldn't be, but somehow now he thought quite the contrary.  
  
Mandy seemed more distant from him as of late, and that rift was only increasing by the second. When he brought up things she had once loved, like the prospect of world domination, she would ignore it, and seem completely unintrested. He knew there was some connection between her distance, and Grim's departure, but, being the idiot he was, he couldn't quite place his finger on it...  
  
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Grim sat, facing away from a wall, with a window looking in on some adolescent demon's poker game. He glared into the pool in the middle of the floor, that looked into the mortal world. There was so much there... He remembered watching the dying hamster Mr. Snuggles, and the two brat children, right from that very pool. He had no idea then, that the little girl he saw would change his life forever.  
  
As he stared at that pool, he contemplated looking in on the two 'children', now older, he was sure, just to see how they were doing.  
  
"No. It's a stupid idea. She sent me away, there's no way either of them want me looking in on them..." He muttered, turning from the pool for a few moments, before his curiousity got the better of him.  
  
He peered into the green surface, and slowly, a shocking scene unfolded before him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Just go away, Billy. I'll call you to come back later, I need time to think."  
  
The big-nosed boy complied, and when he had, Mady crossed the room to stare at her bedstand's skull. It stood for so much to her... Death, the night Grim left, and so many other things that she was just begining to grasp...  
  
"Why did I tell him to leave? Somehow, I just don't think removing the problem was the right thing to do..." Her shoulders shook, and she shivered a bit, but she did not cry. She wouldn't let herself be that weak. Even to herself. It was a hard thing to do, but it seemed like removing the problem only helped to increase it. All these things hit her at once, and the one realization that she had never blatantly stated in her mind became clear in that instant. "I'm in love with the Grim Reaper..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Grim backed away from the pool in shock. It suddenly all made sense to him. Why Mandy had sent him away, and why her emotions read so strangly that day...  
  
He wanted to go to her, and to speak to her one more time, but something stopped him. How would she react to seeing him again? What would he do if her reaction was that of loathing? Remind her of the contrary? No... No, she would act like she hated him, reguardless...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mandy pulled her legs up against her, leaning her head on her knees as if to curl up and die right there. She had said so. She had voiced it, and that seemed too official. She glanced at the door, and contemplated a new way to get rid of this emotion she had felt only twice in her life... One thing she thought of was really to get rid of her heart, and that seemed the most do-able.  
  
Just as she was about to lunge for the doorknob, a sound behind her, and a hand on her shoulder stopped her. The touch of the hand felt familiar... A kind of bony feeling she had felt often so long ago...  
  
"Mandy?" A vaguely familiar voice said from behind her. She turned to see the Grim Reaper, looking down at her with his empty eyes, and felt her own narrow.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: To be continued in the next chapter. What will happen now? You'll find out... 


	2. The Upper Hand

Title: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again  
  
Summary: Sequel to Goodbye, set two years after. Mandy is in love with the Grim Reaper, but will she ever see him again?  
  
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mandy was on her feet in less than two seconds. For a few moments, she felt like she was dreaming, and it took a few moments for her to remember she hadn't had a dream for two years. It was real. She wasn't sure what to do.  
  
The two stood in silence for a few minutes, Mandy trying to build up her hateful disposition, and both of them not making a sound.  
  
"Long time, no see." Grim said finally, breaking the silence. Mandy nodded her agreement, glad to see him, but not smiling. She had missed that voice. She had missed him, and not only as a lackey. Though she had missed him greatly as a lackey, he had been replaced. She forced her gaze back up at him, breaking her train of thought.  
  
"I didn't expect to see you so soon, Grim. How have things been?" She asked, her voice laced with the venom of malice, just like old times.  
  
"Good. I enjoy seeing the heads roll, you know. And you?" He replied. There was a long moment of silence, in which Mandy averted her gaze once more, glaring at the ground. Why was she being so weak? She, again, forced her gaze back to him.  
  
"Strangly, Grim, not as well." She said. It was then, her plan came to her. She had adopted a buisness-like tone with these last few words, and the plan was this: Convince Grim to become her lackey again, and make things the way they were.  
  
"Really? How so?" He asked, using the same arrogance he had the day the two had first met. Mandy recognized it immediatly.  
  
"Simply to the point of having to take up new lackeys every week. Billy is still here, of course, but it seems people have much stronger wills now." She said, her eyes narrowing to the door. Truth be told, she had managed to find another lackey as mindless as Billy. Her name was Jenny, and she had the mental capacity of a lawyer. What was so ammusing was she was the daughter of the local librarian...  
  
"Intresting..." He said, nodding slowly.  
  
"The bottom line is, Grim, we need you back and working for us. That is... If you'll take the job?" She picked up a pen from her dresser and began to study it, not meaning one bit to be so blunt. She looked back up at him, raising an eyebrow, surprised to see an ammused look plastered on his face.  
  
"I hear more than you know." He told her. It hit her like cold water, exactly what he meant by that. He had heard.  
  
"And I suppose that makes you think you have the upper hand?" She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm that grim didn't seem to notice.  
  
"Of course." He said, inspecting the back of his hand.  
  
She walked up to him, and pushed him up against the wall.  
  
"Did it give Billy's friend the upper hand, years ago?" She asked, threateningly. Her eyes formed into the age-old glare she had used so many times.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was then Grim did something she never expected. He leaned down and kissed her, if anything, simply to get her to shut up. Somehow, he knew he had the upper hand. Nothing she said would make him doubt it either. He knew Mandy.  
  
The next thing he knew, a hand shot up, slapping him across the face and sending his lower jaw across the room. He knew Mandy... The sixteen year old Mandy he had left. She was older now, and it hit him then that she was probably a lot meaner, too.  
  
"There is no such thing as an upper hand. Not unless it's mine." She dropped him, and turned around, picking up his jaw. He nodded slowly, and took his jaw. Mady obviously had some issues to work out.  
  
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A/N: Ok, next chapter catches up with Billy's sub-plot, so you find out what he's doing, and I continue this. Kudos to all my lovely reviewers, free Grim plushies to those who reviewed. I'm sorry if this was a bit OOC, but It's 3:00 AM, though it won't be when I upload this... 


	3. The Mowhawk of Erwin

Standard Disclaimer Applies.  
  
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Billy sat at his desk in his room, typing misc things, and waiting to hear from either Mandy, or Erwin. His hopes were very much risen when the doorbell rang.  
  
He ran from his room, and into the hall, down the stairs and straight to the door. "Hello?" He said opening it.  
  
"Hi, Billy." Erwin said, upon entrance. Erwin had not changed so very much from when they were children. He still wore glasses, and dressed pretty much the same, but he had done something new with his hair this time... A mowhawk.  
  
"Erwin... What did you do to your head?!" Billy asked, circling him as if to see this new look from every angle.  
  
"I got stylin'!" Erwin replied, running his hand over his 'hair'.  
  
Billy nearly fell over laughing. Erwin looked so stupid... He had to do something. No wonder he hadn't seen him in a couple of days!  
  
"Who said it was 'stylin'?" Billy asked, putting a hand on Erwin's back for support, more for himself than Erwin.  
  
"Gary Delaney from down the street..."  
  
"Well, I'd hate to be the one to tell you, but... I think you need to try a different hair-do..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mandy stared at her wall, a grim smile playing across her lips. Grim was back, and as far as she knew, things were back to normal. For how long, she didn't know, but she did know one thing. She was not about to dismis her minion so easily this time. She watched him from a room in her window, as Saliva started to bury him in the yard. The sight brought back memories. Memories of long ago when this happened every day, and she could take him for granted...  
  
Those days would soon be back. But he was there by choice... How could she keep him there if he could go as soon as he pleased? She had to find a way...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update. This is my hobby, and I don't have much free time to kill. I thank my lovely reviewers again, and here are the plushies I promised -passes them out-. I'm not quite sure where this is going, but tonight's brainstorm should give me a few ideas. Next chapter will be longer, as my resolution! 


	4. Grim and Billy

"What now? How can I make him stay, when he was so eager to leave before?" She whispered to herself, as she turned from the window, and allowed herself to slide down the wall. She wanted him to stay. She knew she had a chance at that. She also knew she could trust Grim, even if he wouldn't trust her. She really didn't blame him after all the things she had put him through.  
  
She sat there, contemplating, until she heard a knock at the door. She went to answer, thoughts of a dirt covered Grim running through her head, and was very much surprised to see Billy. Billy, and a boy with a paper bag covering his head...  
  
Grim coughed as he pulled himself out of Saliva's doggy-hole. This was one of the more unpleasant things he was forced to endure while under the control of Billy and Mandy. He had always thought 'I can't wait to get rid of this task'. Who would have thought he would ever have missed it?! He shook his head, and looked up at Mandy's window. Apparently she had missed him as well. 'What of Billy?' He wondered.

"Is that brat as sad as the other one?" He began the trek up the stairs, 100% ready to face the boy he knew was there.

Billy shrugged, pulling Erwin's bag off his head. Mandy smirked, and shook her head.

"I suppose you want me to fix this?" She asked.

"Yes." Billy said sheepishly. He shrugged, and blushed deep scarlet. Mandy was about to reply, when a knock came from the door, Erwin quickly replaced the bag over his head, obviously too embarrassed to speak, and Mandy opened the door. Grim walked into the room.

"Hello, Billy." He said as coolly as he could. Billy's eyes widened.

"GRIM!" He yelled, capturing his old friend in a tight embrace. Grim looked as if someone had just poisoned him.

"Billy, let go." Mandy said, tapping the nerd on the shoulder. Billy let go, and blushed even harder, realizing the slip into his old personality he had just made.

"Who's that?" Grim asked, pointing to Erwin. Mandy smirked, and took the bag off Erwin's head, and everyone cracked up laughing.  
  
A/N: I got bored, and this erupted from my fingertips. I apologize for the shortness, but I had to leave just after we started. I'm glad to see this is going over well! Anyway... For those I missed while I was plushie- passing, sorry, here ya go. And Mandy plushies to those who reviewed, and also to those who just read. Special edition mullet Erwins to those who review next chapter!  
  
Note: Don't take that literally, this is the internet, they're only cyber- plushies!!!


	5. Return of the Reaper

"Fine. I'll fix your friend Erwin's hair, to any style of your liking, but you have to think carefully first. I'm _not_ redoing it if it goes wrong." Grim told them.

Billy and Erwin walked out of the room and into the kitchen downstairs to contemplate what he wanted done to his hair. Grim turned to Mandy as he closed the door.

"Now..." He said, turning to her. "We need to talk."

She glared at him for a moment, and then nodded her approval as the two sat down again.

"How long?" She demanded, in her old regular tone.

"How long what?" He asked, patiently. It was like old times...

"How long are you staying?"

"That depends. Who decides?" He asked, crossing his bony arms cockily. He had a plan, and somehow he could sense she had picked up on it, when she looked back at him.

"I have a little gamble for you." She said, standing up. He rose as well, and nodded a head to accept her challenge. "You've obviously got nothing to do lately, and since I am in dire need of minions we'll do this. You think of any number in the universe and I'll say what your thinking. If I do, you re-enter my service, and if I don't, you can take Billy and Erwin."

'How like her...' He thought, snickering. He thought of a number.

"Got it."

"Six." She said immediatly. He shook his head, and laughed forcedly. She had been wrong... Were old times gone for good?

"No. It was 14."

"14." She repeated immediatly. "I win."

He opened his mouth to protest, but she cleared her throat.

"I can prove it. Recount exactly what I said to you." She said, and he did. She interrupted him on the word 'Say', and he gasped. He had truly been tricked again...

* * *

A/N: Ok, that was short, and out of it. The trick she used is from a Star Trek novel, so I'm disclaiming it just to be sure. And... That's it. I got bored, and this needed an update, so I was like 'Why not?'. Here you go. Enjoy!


	6. Not Even Death

Grim shook his head slowly, and looked Mandy in the eye. It suddenly hit him full force exactly what that meant. So maybe he missed the kids, but life in Mandy's service had been hell! Maybe he wanted to be there... For now. But this was not what he had in mind!

"But... It's not fair!" He said, falling back into a whiny tone he hadn't used in years. He had _not _just been tricked again! And so easily... He shuddered inwardly, loathing himself.

"We should tend to Erwin now." Mandy said, simply. Grim glared at her and followed slowly. He hated the world. He hated her, he hated himself, he hated Billy, and most of all, he hated the number 14!

-BORDER-THAT-SHOULD-WORK-BUT-DOESN'T-

Down in the kitchen, Billy and Erwin were discussing, and flipping through an anime magazine to find a style for Erwin's hair. Erwin jumped, and pointed excitedly to a picture of Vash from Trigun.

"Ooh! Billy, I want that one!" He said. Billy giggled excitedly, and nodded in argreement.

Suddenly, there was a noise from the stairs, and Grim entered the room. Shortly after, Mandy made her own entrance.

"After a long discussion, I have persuaded our friend Grim back into my service. Please, continue." She stated. Billy grinned.

"Grim's back? Grim's back, Grim's back, Grim's back!!!" He chanted, laughing out just like old times. Erwin cleared his throat.

"And what about my hair?" He asked. Grim would have rolled his eyes if he had them, but instead, all he could do was fold his arms.

"What style?" He asked, exasperated. Erwin pointed to the magazine.

"Fine." He moved his hand to work his magic, but all that came was a sputtering noise. It hadn't worked. "I guess even death can't help hair that bad..."

They sat there in silence, and finally, Billy just cracked up laughing.

-BORDER-THAT-SHOULD-WORK-BUT-DOESN'T-

A/N: Gah! I totally forgot I had this up. I'm sorry, and I shall continue now. Just lemme shout-out, and figure out where I was -hides-

:-)) - Love your name :D! Anyway, thanks for the review!

Spider Squirrel - E-plushie. Internet E-Plushie. I will make a graphic of chibis Grim, Billy, Mandy, and Erwin, and send it to everyone to represent the plushies. Sorry about the issues... And thanks for the review!

STF - Thank you for the cookie, and the review. I'm glad you think I'm keeping them in character, and I'm also glad you like my story. Thanks :D

Numbah 713 - Actually that WAS a Q trick... It's from the novel I, Q, and I totally suggest you read it. Q IS THE MAN!!! Sad thing is, no mortal human could ever fully comprehend WHAT Q is... Thanks for the review! :D

Blue-Apple - Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like it!


	7. Don't Screw With Fate

A/N: I had this update ready ages ago, but then I lost it and had to rewrite it. I have like 2 minutes now, not enough time to answer reviews, but I will give you guys a general thank you, and dedicate this chapter to Zyalea, for being nice enough to draw a scene from my story. Thanks so much! Oh, and to anyone else; check out her gallery, it's awesome!

-BORDER-THAT'S-SUPPOSED-TO-WORK-BUT-DOESN'T-

Mandy stalked her way into her living room, glaring at the ground curiously, and pondering things that many considered unthinkable. She closed her eyes and let herself fall on the couch. SHe was almost asleep when an annoying voice brought her to.

"Mandy?" SHe looked up. It was Billy. "Why did you bring Grim back?":

She motioned for him to sit next to her, and thought about her answer for a moment before replying.

"We needed new minions. Erwin doesn't work." She said, simply. Billy's eyes narrowed.

"I don't believe you." He said. He sounded stubborn, and she paused for a solid fifteen minutes. Billy smiled slyly.

"Oh, I get it." He said, laughing under his breath. "Mandy lov--"

She cut him off slamming a hand over his mouth.

"You make one more sound, you lose your tongue." She said, meaning it completely. Billy seemed to get the point, because he nodded and looked at his feet when she finished.

"But then why are you being mean?" He asked, tilting his head slightly. Mandy gave him a look that was so purely her, she knew he couldn't argue.

"Grim has learned insolence in his absence. He needs to re-adjust to being my property." She said without a hint of emotion in her voice. Billy laughed under his breath again, and Mandy looked back at him to see a notebook in his hands. She snatched it from him.

Written across the page in bright green writing, was the word "Dominatrix". Mandy twitched, and glared pure malice at Billy.

"Yes... I suppose you're right. Would you like a demonstration?" She purred, and Billy gasped. He shook his head, and not two minutes later ran out of the room. Mandy picked up the pen and notebook, and wrote in small cursive writing underneath "Dominatrix", "Score 1: Fear".

-BORDER-

Grim walked into Mandy's living room just as Billy left. Had he had eyebrows to raise, he would have done so. He walked up behind where she sat and folded his arms at the words on the notebook.

"So _that's _what you planned to do." He said, simply. Mandy turned around, shocked. He could tell she was mentally scolding herself for letting her guard down. He had seen her do so before. He sighed. He knew she would have wound up being his boss sooner or later, even if it hadn't been for that hampster. SHe was destined to be queen of darkness, and would eventually overthrow him in the underworld. Or would she?

She had faded into simply staring at him in her normal 'what do you want' way. He sat down next to her.

"Erwin's hair is finished, and I must say I am quite proud of myself." She continued to stare. He yet again would have raised an eyebrow. "Listen, I know you. I know you want to be in control, and I know how you could be. If you were to come back with me to--"

"No." She interrupted. He tilted his skull slightly, and she shook her head. "I know more than you think, too. I know what your trying to do, and I've heard what your demons have been saying. I was destined to rule you. I never was one to screw with destiny."

She had a sort of arrogant smile on her face. Grim's eye sockets narrowed. If that was the way she wanted to play it, fine.

"No, you weren't. But you were always the type to screw with death..." He said, suggestively. She twitched.

"Yes, of course, in the style of a dominatrix." She said, sarcastically. "Does that pick up line always work for you?"

He blinked.

"What is your problem?" He asked, standing from his spot on the couch. She shook her head.

"I don't have one. It's the rest of the world." She smirked, and pulled her notebook back up to her. Grim shook his head and simply left the room.

-BORDER-

Mandy looked back down at her notebook at the second thing she had written. Just under the first, read "Score 2: Sarcasm".


	8. Score 3

A/N: Ok, Christmas break means update time. Sorry for all the people I've kept waiting, I found a border that works, and I'm using it from now on! Now, Review Answers:

Zyalea: Thanks for the review! I hope you like this chapter as much as the last one :)

WaffleCat: Um… Ok…

MoonLightPawz: Sorry it took me so long to update…Yes. Dominatrix is an excellent word.

M: Thanks!

Wolf-babe: Sorry, I got caught up with school… Swim team consumes my time like my brother does snickers bars!

Velvet Panther: Mandy was destined to be supreme ruler. She's awesome and a good idol for any girl.

E.R.M. Griffin: Thanks!

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Billy ran out of the house and down the street with the most basic of all feelings in his heart. Fear. He turned a corner, and fell back.

"Mindy?" He asked, standing. The girl in front of him giggled in a shrill, peppy voice.

"You are?" She asked. Billy did a double take. She had moved away the year before, and obviously didn't remember him.

"I'm Billy! Mandy's friend?"

She shook her head.

"Nope. Don't know him. Well, I'll see you later, Tommy, I have things to do." She sent out another shrill giggle, and walked away. Billy's eyebrow furrowed, and he followed her down the street. Every so often she would look back, and he would duck behind a trash can or something, but other than that, things went well. He managed not to get caught all the way to…

Mandy's house?!

She moved up, and knocked on the door. Grim answered.

"I thought you were back here." She said in a ridiculously peppy sing song way. Billy held his breath. She had done things like this before, but how the hell had she found out about Grim? "How have you been lately, _friend?_"

She said friend in a funny way. Billy wasn't quite sure what she meant, but he knew she didn't mean friend by friend. She had to mean something more or less than friend, but not friend, and that sure wasn't very friendly. He put a hand to his temple. All this thinking was giving him a headache.

----------------------

Grim's mood was damper as he opened the door. Mindy beamed up at him from her still tiny frame. It was like she hadn't aged at all…

"I thought you were back here!" She grinned. "How have you been lately, friend?"

_Friend?_ Grim wondered. _What is she talking about?_

"I've been slightly under the ground--I mean, under the weather lately. Now if you'll excuse me I was in the middle of my soaps and--"

"Oh! Soaps! I'd be glad to stay and watch!"

She tried to get into the house, but Grim blocked her.

"I don't think so, little girl. I'm in the middle of--"

"Uncle Larry!" She shrieked. "Don't you like me anymore?!"

He was about to tell her exactly where she could put that sentiment when…

"Molly, that's not you're Uncle Larry, that's Mandy's stupid friend Grimey. Now get over here so we can find mom!" A voice yelled. He looked up. That had to be Mindy…she was about Mandy's age, and the little girl didn't really look EXACTLY like her now that he got a good look. "Oh, Grimey! Tell Mandy she's a dork, would ya?"

Grim felt a surge of anger at that statement. He glanced at his scythe, and thought about using it, but before he could take further action, Mindy was knocked back.

"Wet cat…" A girl said from behind him. He turned around. It was Mandy. "Stay away from my house."

Mindy stood up, and wiped a wet strand of hair out of her face. She twitched, and grabbed the girl's hand, storming away.

Mandy scrawled something on the notebook, and looked at Grim.

"What's got you worked up?" She asked incredulously. He blinked, and suddenly felt very tired.

"Nothing. Sorry."

----------------------

Mandy smirked. She was taking steps to even the odds, and that one wasn't even planned. Fate was on her side…and to think once she didn't believe in it! She set the notebook on the table.

----------------------

Billy took a glance at the notebook. Written in Mandy's handwriting, at the bottom of the page, was "Score 3: Violence"


End file.
